Athene's 2026 Retirement Outlook: Demand Grows for Pension-Like Income Solutions
On January 12, 2026, Athene Holding Ltd. (NYSE: ATH) released its comprehensive 2026 Retirement Outlook, highlighting a notable trend: the increasing demand for stable, long-term income solutions as approximately 12,000 Americans reach retirement age each day. As the landscape of retirement planning evolves, the need for guaranteed income becomes more critical in addressing the current $4 trillion savings gap.
Retirement Landscape at a Turning Point
The report indicates that the retirement system is experiencing a significant transformation, driven by factors such as persistent inflation risks and concentrated public market investments. Grant Kvalheim, CEO of Athene, suggested, “The retirement system is at an inflection point. A $4 trillion retirement savings gap, persistent inflation risk, and increasingly concentrated public markets are reinforcing the importance of diversification and dependable income as principles of sound retirement planning.”
Key Insights from the 2026 Retirement Outlook
Experts from Athene, Apollo Global Management, and Vitera have outlined several key themes affecting retirement savers, investors, and retirees:
- Macroeconomic Challenges: Retirees currently face concentrated equity exposure, resulting in critical portfolio construction decisions.
- Flight to Stability: Retirement savings are shifting toward new sources of income, enhancing stability against market fluctuations and inflation risks.
- Annuities' Evolution: Annuities are increasingly seen as essential retirement allocations, offering principal protection and guaranteed income, outperforming traditional safe havens by up to 2% in yield over certificates of deposit (CDs).
- Individual Access to Institutional Tools: Retail access to private market investments is expanding, allowing individuals to diversify portfolios much like large institutions, which allocate approximately 25% of their investments in such markets.
- Outcome-Based Retirement Tools: As retirement savings options diversify, focus is shifting towards stability, liquidity, and total lifetime income, enhancing the shrinking defined benefit market.
- New Strategies for Spending: Nearly 60% of retirement plan participants express concern about running out of funds, prompting the introduction of next-generation target date funds to convert lump-sum savings into steady, pension-like income.
About Athene
Athene is a leading player in the retirement solutions sector, reporting total assets of $430 billion as of September 30, 2025. With operations in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and Japan, Athene focuses on enhancing financial security for individuals through a robust array of retirement income and savings products.
For further information on Athene and its retirement offerings, visit www.athene.com.
Contact Information
Alyssa Castelli
Director of External Relations
+1 (646) 768-7304
Alyssa.castelli@athene.com